Elemental reviews: Pixar's latest is 'dazzling' visually but familiar storyline holds it back

The first reviews of Pixar's latest film Elemental are here. The film has thus far pleased most critics, earning a score of 75 per cent on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes. The critical consensus reads, "Elemental may not satisfy as fully as the greatest Pixar pictures, but it remains a solid story told with dazzling visual flair." Directed by Peter Sohn and written by Sohn, John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, and Brenda Hsueh, the film features a talented voice cast including Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O'Hara, Mason Wertheimer, Joe Pera, and Matt Yang King.

What is Elementalall about?

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Set in a world where anthropomorphic elements of nature exist, the story revolves around Ember Lumen, a fire element, and Wade Ripple, a water element, who meet and fall in love after a plumbing accident at Ember's father's convenience store.

What do the Elementalreviews say?

The Australian's Stephen Romei wrote, "The animation is good without being spectacular. It’s fun to see fire, water, earth, and air in human form. The flashback where Wade relives his childhood trauma with a sponge will make young and old laugh out loud."

Wall Street Journal's Kyle Smith wrote, "Elemental, despite being a tableau rich with marvelous imagery of a world populated by the four elements (fire, water, earth and air), relies on the simplest of storytelling hooks: getting the audience engrossed in a sweet romance."

Bleeding Cool's Kaitlyn Booth wrote, "Elemental is Pixar diving into what is essentially a young adult romance, complete with all the tropes that accompany it. Ironically, considering the story, it meanders and seems to get caught up in metaphorical and literal bureaucratic red tape."

Chicago Sun-Times' Richard Roeper wrote, "Elemental's story of earth, wind, fire and water isn’t top-tier Pixar, but its screen-popping visuals carry the day."

The Age's Jake Wilson was less impressed. He wrote, "It’s a muddle, frankly, and the beauty of the animation can’t wholly compensate, especially given the mostly witless dialogue and the fact the traditional Pixar ease with plot construction seems to have evaporated."

Elementalwasreleased in the US on June 16.

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